Martha Temple, senior vice president, Optum Behavioral Health, addresses attendees at an event in Hartford where United Health Foundation and The Governor's Prevention Partnership announced a new grant partnership to address teen drug use.

To raise awareness of the physical and mental harms associated with youth substance abuse, United Health Foundation (UHF) has partnered with the Governor's Prevention Partnership in Hartford. Focused on high-risk Hispanic teens, the nearly $900,000 UHF grant will be used to develop and launch a communitywide public awareness campaign that works with community, merchant and health-based organizations to host parent workshops and youth mentorship programs. Information about these resources will be disseminated through digital media, print, TV and radio. In addition, a white paper will be released that can serve as a roadmap for replicating this initiative in other communities.

"To fully address the issue of drug abuse and build a healthier Hartford, we must implement programs that can break through the noise to usher in a new wave of prevention and understanding," said Martha Temple, senior vice president of Optum Behavioral Health.